


The Last Hand

by Aurora313



Category: Destiny (Video Game), Destiny 2 - Fandom
Genre: Ace is a guardian, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cayde and Ace go to prison, Family, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Forsaken re-write, Gen, Taken!Cayde
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-01-03 00:47:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21170633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurora313/pseuds/Aurora313
Summary: When the Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6, is invited to the Reef by Petra Venj to assist with a prison riot in the Prison of Elders. Cayde in turn invites along his favourite Guardian, Acker Morin, who also happened to be his son. Unfortunately, this charming father-son escapade will not be as straight forward as either expects.





	1. The Invitation

The infamous Prison of Elders was once a battle arena, opened to the Guardians by the Awoken Queen as both a punishment for the imprisoned wolves who betrayed her, and a mild if barbaric side amusement. Neither were of such concern to the Guardians, such was their all-consuming greed that the tiniest hint of material prizes was enough to summon them like vultures to a corpse.

The Prison of Elders was in chaos for an entirely separate reason now. A far less controlled scenario than the skirmishes ran by Variks the Loyal.

Two Jump ships weaved deftly through the debris surrounding the outer edges of the Reef towards its main docking ring, one black with white spade decals on the engine nacelles and the other shiny gun metal with red decorative decals. They swooped into the dock with near perfect synchronicity before peeling away. Two Guardians transmatted onto the docking bay, striding with confidence towards their waiting party of Petra Venj.

The first was Cayde-6 the Hunter Vanguard. An infamous Hunter known for his tricky nature, his wiles, his gambling and a sheer level of mischief that reached legendary status. The other was the human Acker Morin. Known to most as the Slayer of Oryx, the Hero of the Red War, among others and most commonly as Cayde’s protégé. Rumour had it that Cayde took a shining to the kid not long after he returned to the waking world. Took the runt under his metaphorical wing – more than other newbies at any rate.

But there was a lesser title he was known by. A private almost conspiratorial title that was never spoken of in the open. Only behind closed doors.

Cayde’s son.

Not adopted in the way Saint-14 referred to the Speaker as his father. Not fostered or surrogate, the way legend depicted the Man with the Golden Gun and his custodian. No. This was the flesh and blood son of Cayde. The man before Cayde was a Cayde-dash at all. Before the end of the Golden Age and the collapse of Humanity’s budding empire.

It was highly frowned upon for Guardians sought out their past lives so this was a revelation kept between only the two of them. Not even their closest friends or confidantes were privy to this secret. It helped bind them closer in a way, allowing them to share this clandestine truth and build a relationship around it.

And in was partially in the name of that relationship that Acker was invited to this little get together. The other half because the kid was, for one so young in the light, _damned_ good at his job.

“Petra Venj! Thanks for the invite.” Cayde-6 said by way of greeting, the sheer glee in his voice was hard to contain.

Acker couldn’t blame him. Being cooped up on the tower for so long would have driven him stir crazy too.

“Whatcha packin’ for this party?”

Petra merely shrugged, snatching her knife from its holster on her side to present it. A fine curved blade with a slight grove in its lower half. A fine work of craftsmenship if Acker were any judge.

“Ooh! Do the thing! Seriously kiddo, watch this.” Cayde indicated to the Awoken Paladin and Petra spared the knife only the vaguest of glance.

The weapon floated above her palm a foot, spinning on its axis before Petra snatched it out of the air again with a smirk, pleased at her demonstration.

Cayde shuddered while Acker looked on with envious eyes and a childish pout. “That’ll never not freak me out…. Do it again!”

The human hunter reached to his own knife and pulled it out, holding it in a mimicry of how Petra performed her own little trick. Tongue poking out of his lip as he glared for a few seconds. He huffed looking between his own knife and Petra’s .“I wanna do that…”

“Gentlemen, we can sway knife tricks later. Maybe.” Petra declared, redirecting both men to the task. “Right now, Gen-pop is stampeding. Fortunately, the main arena and the lower level lockdown remain in place for the moment. But if the security systems suffered a total cascade failure, containing the situation is going to be… a problem.”

Cayde smirked, “Just another day in the office.”

“I’ll see you gentlemen inside. Best of luck to us all.” Petra inclined her head politely before turning back towards the prison at a run. The briefing was over it seems.

Acker pulled the Duke mk. 44 out of its holster on his hip to check the chamber. "So, ya wanna take the high road? Low road? Or is it gonna be dealer’s choice?" 

Cayde pointed towards the gun with a look of approval. "Still got that crusty old thing, huh?"

"Something to be said for power and efficiency," Acker smirked back, flicking the chamber back into place and caressing the hammer. "I like this old thing. Saved my life maybe once or twice."

“Yeah, Amen to that. Something to be said about power and efficiency,” Cayde took a step towards him, “But I’d say there’s a little something more to be said for power, efficiency and _style_.”

As the Hunter Vanguard said that, he reached behind his back. Acker shot a puzzled look at his father before finally taking notice of the second black cannon next to the Ace of Spades. She was beautiful, a near identical replica to the Ace of Spades herself, sleek but in black and red. A red stripe diagonally across her barrel, and a spade on the grip. It took him another second to register that Cayde was giving the gun… to him.

The Exo grinned as his face lit up like a kid at Dawning. “The Last Hand. Suppose you could call her Ace’s goth little sister, but she’s got all the perks that came with it. Was saving this for your Light Day, but I figured I’d be generous just this once.”

“Only this once? Heh.” Acker took the cannon with trembling hands, peering down the sight, checking the barrel. It was all he could do not to bounce up and down like a kid on a sugar high.

“Got Banshee to customise it for you special. Perfect for a Southpaw. Even if you weird left-handed folk are evil.”

“I’m standin’ right here, you ass.” Acker answered the jest with mock offense. His towards grin made him look even younger, like a giddy teenager. "You're the best dad ever." 

"Ain't I just?" Cayde said with no small amount of pride, withdrawing the Ace of Spades and making his own preparations for combat while he casually sauntered to the railing. "Alrighty Ace, let’s get this show on the road. Now remember this is a Cayde riff in six, watch me for the changes and try to keep up."

Cayde winked and Acker rolled his eyes.

“Now let’s go to prison!” The Hunter Vanguard leaped backwards off the edge, whooping all the way down to the lower levels.

Acker shook his head and couldn’t help his laughter, hearing his father’s cheers of ‘Got you!’ and other taunting. “And here I thought I spent all my first life trying to keep him _out_ of a prison.”

“You love him. Don’t deny it.” Dusk appeared at his shoulder, bumping into his temple affectionately.

Acker rolled his eyes, slipping on his helm and brandishing his newly gifted Last Hand ready and rearing for battle. “Yeah, Yeah. The pain in the ass.”


	2. The Security Hub

"Gez PV, I always loved your parties, but ain't this going all manner of overboard?" Cayde's voice chimed in on Acker's helmet as he rushed into the facility.

He anticipated a mess, but only a minute in he realised 'mess' wasn't quite adequate enough to cover the calamity unfolding around them.

"The riot HAS to end here. If these killers overrun the security forces they'll overrun the shore, and not long after the Sol system." Petra warned gravely, pausing for a moment to kill an unknown assailant.

They heard the Hunter vanguard dispatching his own set of foes, the hammer of the Ace of Spades echoed in his pick-up. "Then maybe someone can tell me where did these guys get their hands on guns anyway?"

"We can figure that out later. Right now-"

"Right now, we just gotta talk every single one of 'em down. Letting our guns do the talking if needs be." Acker chimed in.

A Fallen Dreg tried to get the jump on him from a hiding place. He dodged the arc knife, retaliated with a knee to the chin before plunging his knife into the thing's skull. A gatekeeper to the chaotic warzone beyond. The observation room he'd found himself in loomed above a battlefield between formerly imprisoned Cabal and Fallen.

"Amen to that, kiddo. You know the music. Time to dance."

"Solid copy." Acker Morin's left hand thrust towards the sky with a thunder crack, forging the Golden Gun into life and fan-firing shot after shot to clear the room. The six shots of his burning light vanished, but that didn't stop the Last Hand from igniting the rest of his foes with every headshot he made, turning them all into mini grenades that decimated the ranks.

Acker twirled the gun, letting the spent slug slide out and slipping the new one in with practiced ease. If his helmet wasn't on, he would have kissed the cannon. A mighty fine beauty that she was. But he couldn't really linger on its magnificence for long. It was anarchy. Total anarchy. Maybe there was something wrong with him, but that's just how Acker liked it. Admittedly, they were totally screwed if any of the prisoners got out and escaped into the greater Reef en masse, but he had no real qualms about that.

His Fireteam, the Awoken Titan Izabel Trent and the Exo Warlock Ignatius-17, were on their way. About a half hour out from their last transmission. Whatever Acker or Cayde didn't take care of, they'll surely pick off. Granted a lot could happen in that brief time, but he had faith in his teammates and his Vanguard to get the job done. Not to mention the former two have a couple god kills under their belt along with Acker. Not many could stand against that.

Fighting his way onto the main boulevard was difficult enough but a massive detonation really threw things in a loop. The shock wave caused the young Hunter to stumble and whack his head against a bulkhead. Stars dotted his vision for a brief moment and he swore he could smell copper inside his helm, but a few seconds and a touch of Light later and it was gone. Even if its after affects still lingered. Acker shook his head and climbed back to his feet. Where the hell the inmates managed to get that kind of ordinance was beyond him. Another mystery they'll have to solve after the whole situation was contained.

"What the junk?" Acker shook his head at it, putting another bullet into a Fallen. This time a Vandal and it was caught right between the eyes. A second managed to knock him down with a blow to the chest, Acker returned the favour by blasting his gut with a round from Wishbringer. Traveller, how he loved this shotgun.

"Okay, whose blowing up stuff and why was I not invited?" Cayde's voice demanded in mock irritation.

"I've got eyes on that explosion. Its knocked out a few more cell blocks open… ugh!" Petra explained though she was clearly preoccupied another foe, "Its taken out security on the lower decks. I'll need to find my way down the high value prisoners. You two go on ahead to the security hub. Try and get the system back online."

"Affirmative." Acker said as he turned a corner and found himself in the central prison area. The most direct path towards the hub and the one coincidentally most jam packed with enemies almost as preoccupied with killing each other as they are with him.

"Okay Ace, I doubt this crowd'll be rollin' out the welcome mat for us in the security hub. This time I'll go high and you go low."

The Guardian didn't register much of his Vanguard's words, already in the thick of battle. Scatter grenades, throwing knives and bullets flew left right and centre. Adrenaline pumped in his blood and he loved every second of it. The burn of the action, the coiled tension of his muscles as he near effortlessly decimated all in his path. Oh how easy it was to get lost in ebb and flow of battle. This was his home. More than the Tower, more than any wilds... he quickly concluded that there was something probably wrong with him.

"Hey asshole!"

Acker pushed forward, leaping up with his Light to dropkick a Hive Knight in the face.

He landed with a crouch and glanced up in time to see the swarm of thralls charging towards him, their gaping maws and glowing talons ready to rip him to shreds. He grinned uneasily.

"These little shits wanna play? Then let's play."

He dropped flat on his back, pushing off his hands and jumping backwards, flung into the air by his light. A second jump. A third jump. He reached inside and the void answered his call as it always did, as easily as the first time he picked up the bow.

Many Hunters were cautious about the void, said it was heavy and unruly to master. It needed one to be fearless. Acker himself never felt that way. Many thought him unusual since switching between the different disciplines of Light came as easily as breathing. But the void was never difficult to him, sure he would experience the occasional whispers of doubt from that pit in his Light like any Nightstalker, but the void never fed on his own inner turmoil for long. As long as he kept it fed. And now he had the perfect feast.

Tevis' dusk bow appeared in his hand and he drew back, casting the tether over the dozen or so thrall. They were snared by the void, their forms sluggish as if wading through quicksand. Acker took his chance when he landed, gleefully slicing through the thrall with the Quickfang sword he'd been presented years ago. The trusty blade carved through them like a knife through butter, the last of which died as the void tether dissipated.

"You're making Tevis proud." Cayde's voice chimed in his receiver and Acker felt himself grin unabashedly at the praise.

He glanced up to see Cayde sparing him a look from the upper level catwalk, his expression one of undisguised pride. Acker too that second to pull out a throwing knife and hurl it with all his strength. The Hunter Vanguard jumped when the metal pierced the temple of a Knight that threatened to split him in half, killing the thing.

"That's twice. First I saved your ass on Nessus and now here. Gez Cayde, get with the program already." Acker said, reloading his shotgun and surging forward. "Or I'll leave you behind!"

"Smartass." He heard the man complain halfheartedly.

"See you at the hub, Dad."

"Careful ahead, Ace, a whole bunch of Hive up that way and they've made it their home away from home."

Acker cursed under his breath, a filthy swear that would have probably earned him a slap in the face if his mother had heard him say it. He paused for a split second and blinked in surprise. _Huh… where'd that come from?_

"We're approaching the security hub now, Petra. Cayde is taking… a more direct route." Dusk radioed in as they cleared a way through to the secondary access ways onto the catwalk.

It was an absolute kill box and Acker was seriously tempted just to let the Cabal and Hive blocking his path just kill each other. But he didn't have time for that. Checking a display in the corner of his visor, he noted the time. Twelve minutes since they'd arrived. Was it really that short a time? Gez. At this rate, Ignatius and Izabel would have made the trip for nothing.

"Have any plans?" Dusk asked him,

"I figure I'd shoot my way through. Mix things up a little." Acker replied and Dusk chuckled.

The battle was... well, a pain. More than once Acker had gotten a trifle bit too arrogant in his charge and ended up smashed into a wall or stomped under foot. Thank the Traveller he was a quick runner, otherwise he would have probably been Hive feed by now. The Cabal were slow by virtue of their enormous size so that was one advantage in his face. And the hive? Well, the Hive were indiscriminate. By the time most of them had noticed Acker after being so absorbed in their own skirmishes, they were quickly introduced to his lucky Wishbringer shotgun in quick order.

When he'd finally reached the command up, Acker wasn't ashamed to admit he was a bit puffed. With both hands on his knees, he hunched over and drew in sucking lungfuls of air. Killing an Orge, a Cabal centurion and Traveller only knows how many Knights, Acolytes, Phalanxes and Legionaries in about three minutes flat left him slightly winded.

Exhaling a short puff of air, he wrapped his knuckles against the security door entrance.

"Knock knock." Acker said, summoning Dusk to access the computer interface.

"Says we need Warden level access to get in. I can try to bypass it, but its going to take a bit of time. Cayde, do you think you can help?"

"Yeah, I got you covered. Standby for a promotion. And reduced pay cut."

Acker snorted and shook his head in amusement as the door's red lights flickered green and hissed opened. The Guardian quickly made his way inside to the hub and the door hissed closed behind him, the lock mechanism engaged. The room was circular in shape with a raised platform behind security glass. Where Cayde was currently toiling over an apparently uncooperative console.

"Impeccable timing as usual. Wish I could say this piece of - Ah, damn it!" Cayde cussed in frustration, tossing the wrench aside as he leaned over the console typing at the interface.

"You good Cayde?" Acker approached the reinforced glass of the control hub, leaning his arm against the pane and peering at the screen. He couldn't quite get a view of precisely what was going on and gave a small huff.

"Yeah, yeah. This pain in the ass interface."

"Only a poor craftsmen blames his tools, Dad," He couldn't resist the urge to tease. "Need me to call a favour from dear old Charlie?"

"_No._ I do _not_ need you to call in a favour from Charlie. Charlie can stay right where he is on Mars." Cayde dismissed with a distracted wave of his hand, offended at the very suggestion that he needed help. "I broke into Rasputin's vault; I can work out this ass-end backwards security hub."

"Ooh, temper temper. Looks like I struck a nerve. But sad to say using explosives is counter productive to the purpose of a security hub. So maybe try another method." Acker turned around with his arms crossed and back against the glass panes. Pointedly away from the comical pouting expression his father shot him.

"Keep that smartass mouth up and I'll tell little Lady Dusklight you're cheating on her with Charlie again."

"Hey-!" Acker snapped around to protest and in response to her name, his ghost appeared at his shoulder in a shower of blue sparks.

Dusk tilted forward on her axis as if to glare at her Guardian. "Whose cheating on me with whom now?"

Acker recoiled from the angry ghost, his hands raised in a placating manner.

"First Sagira, then Charlie? Am I not good enough for you?" Dusk zoomed into his face and Acker took a step back. Cayde was enjoying every damned second of this discomfort.

"I - What – No! Its – Goddamn it Cayde!"

The Exo vanguard snickered evilly with Dusk giggling conspiratorially to herself before vanishing again.

Acker had a nasty grin plastered on his face in response. "Hey Cayde? Ya know the great thing about both of us being Guardians? That means I can _shoot_ you and you won't die."

"Okay, yeah? Well the best part about being your Vanguard and your DAD is that I can take that pretty little cannon back, then ground your ass on Titan for a month. And it'd still be perfectly legal."

Acker gave a tiny whimper, hugging the Last Hand close to his chest like a precious newborn.

"That's what I thought." Cayde smirked then turned his attention back to his task. "Now all that's left is to turn the power back on."

He went to the lever on the far side and pulled it down. Not only did it recoil back into place, but the system gave an error sound. Cayde and Acker shared a look of confusion, the latter even giving a little shrug, before both noticed soft hissing fill the room.

"What's... happening to the floor?" Cayde questioned and Acker turned to see entire sections of the floor slowly rise up. As they extended completely, they could see the tell-tale marks of Hive infestation, and chitin clogging up the internal workings. Not to mention the faint howling that promised thralls would soon follow.

"Gah, these Hive are gunking up the works. Ace, run interference while I get this stupid thing to work."

Acker holstered the Last Hand and pulled out Wishbringer, loading it up and cocking the forestock. "I've got your covered."

He brought up the shotgun into firing position as the first thrall swarmed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Cayde and Acker have a friendly semi-competitive relationship that's actually rather healthy. This is good. Even if they jokingly comment about shooting each other.
> 
> Also, for the curious: The Last Hand will have its own lore page that Acker will discover. I also like to think that spending four plus years trying to reign in his unruly god-killer son has also helped temper Cayde into someone a bit more serious. Sure, he's still the wise cracking Exo we all know and love, but he's become more of a Malcolm Reynolds and less of a Rick Castle.
> 
> Question for the chapter: Who is this 'Charlie'? Baring in mind, this character is a spoiler for Ace of Spades. Enjoy figuring that one out. ;)
> 
> Regards,  
Aurora313


	3. Paracausal Dread

By the Traveler, this was painful. Sundance only received a peripheral shade of what this assault was putting her Guardian through. She couldn't even begin to imagine how painful it was to experience first hand.

Sadists and murderers had a particular appetite for this sort of misery, and she was proud to say that it was a taste neither she nor her guardian ever acquired. Granted, some Ghosts had personalities as diverse as the Lightbearers they paired with. As much as she'd like to ponder the way Ghosts were oddly human in their variations and distinctions from one another, all she wanted - no all she _prayed_ for was for her Guardian to make it out of this safely. Once again a token of those oddly human characteristics. But even she, a machine born from the machinations of a reawakened god, had some measure of self-preservation.

Cayde was... well, doing Cayde's thing. He always had a habit of biting off more than he could chew. Even in their apparent impossibility, he always managed to figure his way out of those tight spots before (like father like son, it seemed), but Sundance felt with an ever mounting dreadful certainty that this wouldn't be one of those times.

She could sense it was even harder for her guardian. The corrupted Fallen abominations kept coming. Cayde kept firing but it wasn't too long before he had exhausted his knives, his trip mines, and even his ammo reserves begun to dwindle despite landing every single bulls-eye. The amount of times Cayde had run out of ammo since that day he'd fought on Luna along side the Baroness against the Hive, she could count on her fins and still have plenty to spare. To see him running low was... disheartening.

_Where the kid?_ She sensed Cayde thoughts - when he had a spare moment to think. _He's taking damn his time. I need you watching my six Ace. Now! I swear to Light, Don't make me ground you again!_

The mutilated creatures had him at one point, caught him off guard and tackled him down just as his Light focused into that precious Golden Gun. On his back, they beat and stomped on him. They were trying to pulverise him into the ground, each attack chipped away at more and more. But that same Light shined again, redistributed into a fan of knives in each hand that he threw out. Every knife hit their mark right between the Fallens' eyes. The Solar light burned through the corpses, reducing them to glowing orange ash.

That moment made her proud. Cayde was always excellent at thinking on his feet, and to think he'd just made up a new Super ability on the fly? Well, wasn't out of character. If they got through this, she'd even compliment him on it later and probably watch his ego sour from Earth to Luna.

The last Fallen got the jump on him but Cayde ended him with a pretty nasty headbutt. A headbutt punctuated by that horn of his. It pierced through the yellow platted mask and buried deep into the Scorn's skull with the hard 'twang' of metal.

Through their private link, she implored him to let her out. To let her heal him so he could continue the fight. And Cayde seriously considered it, even poised to lift his hand to summon her. But before he could send the mental command, his hand closed into a tight fist and dropped back to his side. His leather gloves creaking with how hard he clenched his fist.

"N-no can do, little buddy," Cayde whispered under his breath clearly struggling to speak, let alone stand. "L-look up, will ya?… count 'em. Only see seven. Bad number in my book. Rifleman's missin'..."

_All the same - you need to be healed before you can go on!_

Cayde shook his head slowly, "Can't, Sundance. I'm thinkin' you're the star of the show they're waitin' for... I let you out, you're gonna get popped. I ain't about to let that happen."

Her external senses did indeed confirm that the Baron known as the Rifleman had moved out of position with the others, but he'd activated some form of dampening field that made locating him impossible. Darkness curse them, it meant that should she even try to show herself the Fallen sniper would have a clean shot. But her own light was of secondary concern to Cayde's current condition.

_But if I don't, you'll die!_ She pleaded.

"Happens... and if I do, we _both_ die. Gotta keep 'em occupied 'til-" Cayde stumbled over a piece of debris, his left leg not quite working right. Something must have been damaged or even broken in that last bashing. He lost his balance, falling to his knee and hands extended to keep himself up. Barely. "- 'til the cavalry arrives. Damn it, Ace's takin' his sweet ass time."

Time was a luxury they could not afford. These corrupt Fallen were as ruthless as they were monstrous. She patched into his optics, not something she did often but she was still familiar enough with the inner mechanics of her partner to pull this trick. The Barons had gotten impatient it seemed, one by one they left their perches on the upper tiers, flanked by more of these lesser mutated abominations. It wasn't looking good in the least. Sundance shared her Guardian's hope that the boy - that Ace would come sooner rather than later. But as the silent sadist, the Hangman Reksis Vahn made a casual saunter towards them that hope was called into doubt. The censer in his grip dragging across the ground, sparking and scrapping as it went.

Slowly, the bastard hoisted it up. Letting the chain swing as the censer ignited and flames bloomed across its surface. Cayde, ever defiant as ever, managed to hobble back to his feet and through his mythic willpower, he brought the Ace of Spades up level with the Baron. There were no bullets left in the chamber, he had no ammo left at all. Nor would he have had the time to reload if he had. It was a silent defiant last act against his foe. The censer swung and Sundance lost both her connection and consciousness as Cayde's body crashed through several walls.

Her systems took a while to reboot. Approximately three minutes and eighteen seconds according to her internal chronometer. Far _far_ too long for this sort of hellish situation. By the time she returned and their bond was restored, Sundance was harrowed.

Cayde was in pain, he was panicking. No, not just panicking. He's _terrified out of his mind_. She hadn't felt this much terror since the day Taniks the Scarred first made itself known and murdered Nian Ruo and Lush's Ghost, Tink. Cayde had been calling her name, both with his voice and through their bond. Summons she didn't hear as her systems rebooted from the impact.

"Sundance…!" Cayde's voice was barely a hoarse whisper and she appeared in less than a second.

The Little Light didn't have a chance to do much of anything before her Guardian snatched her shell and flung her with all his might towards someone else. Said someone caught her, stumbling backwards more in surprise than the sheer force of the throw. Between their fingers, Sundance's glowing blue eye refocused just in time to witness the sickening terrifying reality playing out in front of them. Cayde was gone, greedily swallowed by a gaping white and black maw as the airlock door closed, sealing the way to the Barons and Uldren.

The hands holding her slackened, reduced to numb loose vines that she could easily drift away from. Sundance's single eye tilted up to see the bare face of Acker Morin. Helmet gone, hood down and a trail of blood from his hairline spilling down his face. He simply stared in slack-jawed silence, grey-blue eyes wide and aghast at the space. Dusk appeared at his shoulder, the Guardian was still ignorant of the second Ghost thrown to him by his Vanguard. Still fixated on the spot where his Vanguard - his _father_ \- used to be not a minute before.

Without his helmet on he looked more like a child than ever, even with the stubble he hadn't had time that morning to shave off.

Sundance was in shock and couldn't even begin to articulate the emotions playing around in her synapses right now. She felt like she had been sheared in two. The bond that bound her to Cayde was so thinly stretched like an elastic band and fraying. She couldn't even feel him anymore and she was horror-struck at the notion that it may break.

"A-Acker?" Sundance heard Dusk venture tentatively. Nervously. She was sorrowful and her voice was silent, a whisper and her proximity was an attempt to comfort her guardian at the sudden shocking turn.

Ackerdid not respond, or even move for seventeen seconds. Abruptly, he fell to his knees hands slack as his sides.

Neither Sundance nor Dusk had a chance to say much further before the Guardian howled in rage and agony, tears mingling with blood down his cheeks. They could do nothing while he cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Cayde disappeared (cough Taken cough) but saved Sundance from his fate. Don't worry, the change in events will be explained. Also... yeah, Acker understandably does not take his father's second disappearance all that well.
> 
> Melodramatic? Maybe. But this kid has sacrificed EVERYTHING for his dad. To see him taken - quite literally - from in front of him? Well, he's not good with loss.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Aurora313


	4. Discord

Getting Acker back to the Tower was... difficult.

When Izabel Trent and Ignatius-17 had arrived at the Prison of Elders, Ignatius had opted to attend to a more strategic role peeling away to assess the situation and provide tactical support. He wished to assist in the investigation, to understand how one of the most secure prisons in the entire solar system had been so easily turned to a riotous hell. The Titan could not fault the logic, but her attention was focused on locating the third member of their fireteam.

She had found him on the lower levels of the Prison on his knees, tear tracks running down his blood-and-grit caked cheeks while not one but two ghosts frantically chattered with themselves and Petra Venj. The one in the white shell highlighted by lilac was Acker's own Ghost, Dusklight, and the other was Cayde's ghost Sundance. But where was Cayde?

Sundance was frantic, riff with panic and demands for retribution. If Ghosts could cry, Izabel was almost certain she would have been doing so in an inconsolable rage. Dusk was attempting to soothe the anger, the grief and the despair that her Ghost sister was undoubtedly feeling. The words 'fault' and 'blame' were being thrown about cutting to the core like knives. Izabel winced at the tirade Sundance was unleashing in her heightened state and Dusk, to her credit, remained remarkably calm. The word 'Taken' followed soon after which turned Izabel's blood to ice. Taken. As in Oryx-Taken. Though how that was possible was beyond Izabel.

The Ghosts' heated argument continued while Acker still remained slumped on the floor, robbed of action by grief. Petra Venj was there, attempting to communicate with him - shaking his shoulder or threatening to shoot him somewhere painful but nothing appeared to work. After a brief discussion with the Acting-Regent Commander, Izabel moved to yank Acker to his feet. He was fatigued, concussed, in shock and wracked with despair.

Izabel was not unsympathetic to his plight, it was no secret that he and Cayde-6 were close. Mentor and protege for certain, though the Awoken Titan always suspected they were much closer than that. Fraternal.. or perhaps Paternal? But they needed to get back to the Tower and appraise the Vanguard of the situation. Time was of the essence and they needed to discuss matters of containment for the Prison Escapees while deciding the next core of action regarding the disgraced Reef Prince.

By the time Izabel and Petra had dragged him to the surface, the despair was gone - replaced by a frightening blankness. Sundance had finally stopped her emotional outburst and simply hung in silence at Acker's left shoulder alongside Dusk as they pressed on.

Izabel got the sense of shame from the Ghost for allowing herself to so brazenly loss control but not a soul there blamed her for it. The lone ghost had directed the Queen of Hearts - Cayde's personal jumpship - to the Tower, following Acker's own trusty Arcadia during the silent voyage back to Earth.

Once they had returned after the hours long voyage, the tower seemed a little bleaker. News had about Cayde being missing in action had already spread it seemed. At least that was the official line. During their landing and hand to Amanda for maintenance, the Titan allowed the Hunter to exchange a brief word with Amanda Holliday. They too were close the way she and Zeele were close - sibling-like in their bond. Sundance appeared from Cayde's jumpship and spoke quiet words to Amanda as well.

A chime came over her headset receiver which forced her to interrupt the exchange. The Vanguard were waiting for their debriefing. Sundance stayed with Holliday while they left.

During Izabel remained by Acker's side, her hand on his shoulder as both a comfort and a guide to the Vanguard leaders. After receiving a report from the Reef and Izabel's own account of what she found, they had arranged to meet in one of the gensym labs, Ikora had requisitioned one from a Hidden Agent.

When they arrived, Zavala and Ikora were standing in the room while a technician was working the console. A warlock by the look of their robes. Holographic screens hung like constellations around the darkened chamber. Each screen replaying the last moments of transmission before Cayde's... _capture_ from Sundance's perspective.

They watched as the Ghost was summoned, only to be flung to Acker's stunned form like a stray ballistic and forced to witness ropes of black and white glimmering energy roping around his body, sucking him into a vortex of paracasual energy. Followed shortly thereafter by a heart-wrenching howl.

Izabel took her eyes from the screen to watch her teammate, witnessing her teammate's expression transform from blank to vengeful.

"We should have been there..." Ikora's voice trembled, a barely audible whisper as she approached the hologram that showed the residual Taken energies captured mid frame. She cast a reassuring look back at the young Hunter. "This... is not your fault. This is on Uldren Sov's head."

Her voice trembled with rage. "If he thinks this is the end of things then he's gravely mistaken. This battle has just begun. We're going to fight him. Do you hear me?" The Warlock Vanguard turned her eyes to her silent Titan Vanguard, "All of us. Every Titan. Every Warlock. Every Hunter. We will charge the Reef by storm and bring Cayde _home_."

"No."

"I beg your pardon?!" Ikora was incredulous.

"We are not an army, nor are we Conquerors. We are Guardians. Our eyes must be set here, to our city and our people. The Traveler." Zavala examined the holographic screen that showed Cayde's capture. His face as sorrowful. "If another Sov wants stretch of lifeless rocks... let him have it."

"... you fucking _what_?" Acker's voice was hoarse from his grief which only added to the gravitas of his anger. He shrugged off Izabel's hand and slowly approached the Vanguard commander. "Let him have it...? Is that - Is that what I heard you just say?"

Ikora and Zavala both turned to face the Hunter, different measures of stunned at his cussing.

Acker's voice was low and cold. "His own people didn't want him. They tossed him in a Light-Forsaken prison cell to rot under lock and key, and your response to him attacking our city's leadership is 'Let him have it'?"

"You're out of lin-" Zavala spoke but the young Hunter interrupted with an emotional outburst.

"And you're being a coward! He attacked City _leadership._ A Vanguard! - look me in the eye and tell me with a straight face how that is not a declaration of war. If you can come up with a compelling explanation then I'm all ears." He was right in Zavala's face.

"Acker!" Izabel surged forward, snatched his shoulder and yanked him back, "Cut it out or I'll _make_ you. Remember your place and stand down."

"I won't! If our enemies see that they can attack, capture or kill Vanguard with impunity, then we are no longer an enemy worth fearing. We're no longer an ally worth keeping. Leaving this unaddressed makes us look weak! I would have thought that you of all people would understand that basic fact, Vanguard Commander Sir." Acker spat the rank out like a curse.

"Where is Cayde's Ghost?" Zavala directed the question towards Izabel who was now physically restraining her teammate.

"She's currently with Shipwright Holliday in the hanger." Izabel answered dutifully. "Distraught, understandably but functional. No external damage to her shell."

"Very well. Sundance will remain at the Tower in custody. Until we find and rescue Cayde, she must be protected." Zavala ordered. "As for you, we have every available Guardian working to contain the breakout in the Prison of Elders-"

"I'm sorry, but am I not an available Guardian? One with about half a dozen counts of Deicide under my belt?!" Acker demanded.

"You are hereby placed on mandatory rest leave. You are off-duty effective immediately. In three days and after psychological evaluation you will be given a patrol zone, and are expected to strictly adhere to it." Zavala's commanding boom cut off any further argument.

Acker grit his teeth, fists clenched and eyes burning with rage. He cast a look to everyone in the room as if trying to gauge who was on his side before grunting out, "_Fine._" He tore himself out of Izabel's grip and stalked out of the room.

"Izabel, make sure he doesn't... do something he'll regret." Zavala instructed the Titan. She gave a brief nod and turned to chase after her teammate.

"He is right." Ikora declared as soon as the door hissed closed. "For us to do nothing in the face of... of this, its cowardice. We will appear weak to our Reef allies, to our own people."

"I refuse to lose any more friends Ikora. And I do not want that boy taking on a campaign of vengeance with no preparation, an itchy trigger finger and clear emotional instability." Zavala explained, though there was no disguising the regret in his voice. "Were I younger, perhaps, I would lead the mission myself but we have other priorities to attend to. And I'm afraid that one life cannot be weighed against that. No matter who it is or how dear they are to our hearts."

Ikora was dissatisfied with the answer but Zavala continued, "When the situation in the Reef stabilizes and we've a credible lead on Sov, I will direct in the rescue operations myself."

"What if its too late by then?" Ikora questioned, gesturing a hand to the paused screen frame.

Zavala looked up at it with sorrowful eyes. "... I fear it is already. Nevertheless we will try when we can afford to opportunity. We will either bring back our friend, or we will honour him."

The Warlock vanguard straightened her back. Her lip set in a thin line and eyes narrowed. "If that's your decision, then that's your decision. But know this Zavala; If Acker Morin came to me and asked for authorization to hunt Uldren Sov down... I will_ not_ stop him."

With that, Ikora Rey took her leave and left Zavala to ponder the projection on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ignatius will make his debut in the next chapter. He's still in the Reef doing a thing. Meanwhile Izabel and Acker deal with the fallout of the mission, the Vanguard's decision and uh... Acker is pissed off. Understandably so.
> 
> Thank you for your time!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Aurora313


	5. A Rogue Element

Ikora Rey was pondering the reports of her Hidden Agents, but if truth be told, she absorbed none of it. She was locked in her own mind with the recent upset in the City's leadership. Cayde captured or worse, Zavala refused to make a move for the sake of the City's protection and grounded the most powerful guardian in their midst.

She rubbed her eyes, feeling the weight of fatigue pressing in on her. How she wished Cayde was here, she missed the levity he brought to the situation. He had the right amount of Sanguine to balance out the melancholic humours of Zavala and her own phlegmatic humour.

She left the privacy of her chambers and quietly made her way to the plaza. The City was recovering well from the Red War and Ghaul's aftermath, but the general ambiance of the Tower was muted and miserable. The official story was that Cayde-6 had been declared missing in action, presumed alive. But it wasn't hard to see through the lie of it. Rumours ranging from tiny seeds of truth to the most ridiculous conspiracy.

Ikora took up her usual place overseeing the City below, resting her hands heavily against the railing as dark thoughts plagued her mind. So much had happened in the last year and this latest upset might be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Ever after his death, there was still no replacement for the speaker. Missives had been sent out to Orisis on Mercury regarding the matter - the man was the Speaker's apprentice after all - but no word returned. Ikora didn't expect it to either. Osiris was much to consumed by his studies and works in the Infinite Forrest to bother with city politics. A stance that was proven correct with the destruction of Panoptes, the Infinite Mind.

"What am I doing?" Ikora's shoulders slumped with her deep sigh.

"It appears you're brooding rather effectively. Expected, considering the light of recent events." An Exo's voice cut to the core of her and she straightened up on instinct, presenting herself as the Vanguard mentor she was supposed to be.

The Exo in question was a Warlock with black camo-painted face plates, yellow eyes and clad in Alchemist's Raiment robe. He had no additional adornments on his metal head to speak of - rather unusually for his kind.

Ikora didn't appreciate the light tone he used, "What are you doing here, Ignatius?"

"Where's boy and the Ghost?" Ignatius-17 asked, all pretense of social propriety dropped. Though it was plain from his tone this was not a request but a demand for information.

Ikora shook her head. "I should have known. Izabel Trent did report you were assisting with the mop up from the Prison. Last I heard, you were supposed to still be there."

"The Prison is lost. Predictably. The majority of them should have been executed. Its what I would've done," Ignatius-17 mused then shrugged, "But I suppose they served a purpose. Without lambs for the slaughter, how else was Variks going to play his little games?"

Ikora composed herself and repeated her question. "I dislike repeating myself. What are you doing here Ignatius?"

Ignatius took a single step forward, face plates shifting to mimic the raising of an eyebrow. "We have that in common, my dear... where is the boy? And where is the ghost?"

Ikora would not budge on the matter. If this were one of her Hidden or any other guardian assigned to the mop up efforts, perhaps she'd be willing but not to Ignatius. "How do you know that the Ghost survived?"

"From what little I could salvage from the security systems in the Prison of Elders, I managed to snatch a pic feed and some audio snippets. It wasn't much, the camera angle was skewed, but I saw enough. I saw the Ghost being throw at the boy before grief overtook him," Ignatius explained, pacing to the balcony and peering over at the city with some measure of distaste at what he saw below. His voice was casually distant. "Pitiful really. Truly and utterly pitiful. But there was something incredibly stirring about it. So very few things in the world that can engender that sort of... _raw_ emotional reaction."

"You sound like you're mocking him." Ikora accused him coldly.

"I admit that expressing sympathy has never been my strong suit - I am a machine after all. However, I do consider the boy my charge. Now, about my question. Please tell me I don't have repeat myself a third time, my dear. Things will become rather hideous if I do." Ignatius replied, unshaken by the edge in her tone.

"You do well to remember who you're speaking to, Ignatius-17," Ikora warned firmly, feeling the coil of her light within her.

"I know precisely who I'm speaking with, my dear. And I'm certainly glad because Zavala and I would have likely killed each other a dozen times over by now," Ignatius replied, "As for Cayde? Well, that's a whole different can of worms."

Ikora glowered at him, her voice with an edge of anger. "Acker Morin has been grounded and submitted for psychological evaluation under Zavala's Orders."

"Ah, of course," Ignatius-17 scoffed and rolled his optics with an indulgent chuckle, "Predictable reaction. But a foolish one. He tries to cage a feral wolf who just lost his leash. And? What's to become of him after he passes that little test of Zavala's?"

"I believe the Mission report says he will be patrolling Mars." Ikora relented. The Exo Warlock laughed like it was the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

"Perhaps you don't know, but Acker Morin would gleefully murder Ana Bray if given half the chance. And without a Custodian, what do you think would happen when a mind and power as colossal as Rasputin is left unchecked?" Ignatius lectured her like she was a new light. It chafed on Ikora's pride but she swallowed her distaste back to continue the conversation.

"Its a grim prospect I agree," Ikora agreed, "As for Sundance, she's under guard. Some have expressed concern that due to the bond between Guardian and Ghost, she may be-"

"People fear she will be Taken just as Cayde was through their symbiosis." Ignatius cut her off then shook his head to disagree with the notion. "Alternatively, that very same bond may cleanse the Taken corruption and we may get our Hunter Vanguard back."

Ikora frowned and raised an eyebrow, fixing the Exo with her piercing gaze. His concern while touching was thoroughly uncharacteristic. For a creature so focused on the pursuit of knowledge, to express concern about anyone or anything else was completely alien to his usual manner. "Since when did you care about such things?"

"I care about a great many things that garner my curiosity. Do not believe every presumption the Praxic order or your Hidden agents present to you behind my back. That's hardly fair now, is it? One should only believe what their own eyes and ears report." Ignatius had the audacity to look offended at the implications. Ikora didn't buy it and he relented back to his casual dismissive attitude.

"You're right, I don't care about the situation affecting this city. But the boy is one of the greatest curiosities that have ever crossed my path. Have you ever seen a guardian like him? Only five years of new light, Young Master Morin has not only mastered the disciplines of his order but flits between them as casually as one sheds clothing. And as a metaphorical cherry on top of that delicious Ice-cream curiosity sundae, he's slain Hive Gods. The very same Gods that caused the Great Disaster of Mare Imberium."

Ignatius paused in his explanation to pick up a green leaf that landed on his shoulder, pinched between his thumb and forefinger, half of it gnarled by some floral pest. "Its a marked curiosity, and in all my years, I've never seen one like him. His continued well-fare is very much my concern because his good mental health means he's less inclined to indulge in reckless idiocy."

The Exo let the leaf fall from his fingers, watching it flutter down into the city.

"Your concern is touching." Ikora muttered,

Ignatius-17 only offered a half-shrug. "And the Exo? Well, living or dead - rescued or a corpse - he will be a valuable sample. Have you considered the possibility of a creature Taken being returned to its prior state? A chance to study such a curiosity would be enticing indeed."

The Warlock Vanguard scowled at him, feeling her anger rise at the casual dismissal of both Guardians as mere curios for analysis. She watched his expression, Exo features were notoriously hard to interpenetrate but she could sense his mind was made about _something_. "Ignatius. If you do something treacherous, City can't protect you -_ I_ can't protect you."

Ignatius-17 turn towards her with a look of faux-horror before departing. "The City protect _me_? What a hideous thought."

Ikora watched him leave with a frown. She already had reservations about his presence in the City. Thankfully, Lord Saladin wasn't here to see this meeting. The Warlock Vanguard was utterly convinced that confrontation would have ended with the entire tower's demise. Some grudges run deep indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: Ignatius-17 is/was a Warlord hence his talking down to Ikora. Very much a case of 'I'm older therefore I know best'. I also tried to take inspiration from James Spader's Raymond Reddington from the Blacklist series. And I imagine his voice claim to be James Spader.
> 
> Thank you for your time!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Aurora313


	6. The King of Scorn

Humiliation. Utter humiliation. Those were the only words suitable to describe what Uldren Sov had suffered, but even that seemed barely adequate to encapsulate his feelings on the matter. It was nothing short of injustice.

Uldren Sov was the Crown Prince. Heir to the Reef's Throne until he finally found his beloved sister and Queen. But his claim to the throne was cast aside. He was cast aside, thrown in the deepest darkest pits of the Prison of Elders. Locked away to rot in squalor by the notorious vagabond Cayde-6 whilst that vile usurper, Petra Venj, claimed regency in his sister's name. A position that too should have rested on his shoulders.

His Barons, the Scorn they had come to call themselves, were trapped alongside him in that disgusting pit. One by one, locked and barred by the same void-damned Exo who threw him away.

Timed almost perfectly, the wall exploded as a rogue ballistic object burst through. Accompanied by the scent of burning machine oil, electrical sparks and the loud shear of tearing metal. The slack form of Uldren's quarry rolled and skidded to a dozen or so paces before the Airlock on Level Zero.

Uldren's burned orange eyes glanced down at the black and white hand cannon that skidded to his feet. He leaned down to retrieve it and inspected the weapon. It was a fine tool. Well-crafted if a bit gaudy. It was no Vestian Dynasty, but it would suit his desires. What better way to deliver retribution for Cayde-6's misdeeds than to use his own beloved weapon as the executioner's blade?

The Exo sputtered and coughed, groaning as he crawled back to a semblance of consciousness. He feebly tried to move himself away from the battlefront, scooting away one pathetic inch at a time - until his cyan optics landed on the Awoken Prince. One eye is flickering, damaged. It almost took a full ten seconds for him to register the Prince's presence.

"Oh for Light's sake, I ain't paid enough for this crap…" The Exo's head limply thumped back on the metal grated floor.

"In war one calls this a reversal of fortune. Quite a reversal indeed. Wouldn't you agree?" Uldren asked rhetorically, casually sauntering towards the fallen contemptuous guardian with the latter's prized weapon in his fist. "Don't you remember? I recall some time ago that you threw me into one of these wretched prison cells. Of all the places I thought to see in my life, the squalor of one of these disgusting holes was not one of them."

"If-" A static coughing fit interrupted Cayde's response as he tried to roll onto his side. "If you knew what's good for you, you'd go back n' park your ass back in that cell. Cause any-"

Another coughing fit racked his frame and Uldren shushed him softly condescendingly. "Hush now. This is going to hurt a lot, I'm afraid."

Cayde winced and looked up at the prince with the purest spite. "Y-yeah… it is. Cause any second now, that kiddo is gonna roll in here and slaughter every last one of you. And he'd make it quick if he's feelin' kind."

Uldren was not phased by the threat, in fact it was almost as if he didn't hear it at all. His fingers reached up and curled around a necklace, a peculiar fang-like necklace. He scowled, wishing nothing more than for the Exo to suffer as he had. Imprisoned. Humiliated. Branded as an outcast, exiled and cut off from everything he ever loved. He felt a tingle down his arm and smiled privately to himself. "I suppose it's only my princely duty to hear your last will and testament before your execution. By the sovereignty of my crown as Prince and Protector of the Awoken, I hereby sentence you to death for aiding and abetting conspiracy to usurp-"

"Oh skip to the end, will ya?" Cayde groaned, "I don't have all day."

"Do you have a final word?" He said more out of a sense of propriety than actual care for the last words of a criminal.

Cayde chuckled, a static sound that blossomed into a full laughter interrupted by wracking coughs. "Fine… fine. L-let me lay some truth in ya, Sov. That kid, Acker Morin, that happy-go-lucky God-killer - he's a monster. You kill me, he'll burn from everything from the Vestian Outpost to the Tangled Shore. All of it for the chance to end you."

Uldren cocked an eyebrow at the warming. He dismissed it as nothing more than an idle boast. "If you believe that hollow threat will save you, you're gravely mistaken."

Cayde shook his head, chuckling intermingled with faint coughs. "It's not to save me, Sov... I want it to haunt you 'til the very last second. 'Til that kiddo puts a bullet between your eyes."

* * *

Uldren's eyes fluttered open, pulled from the memory. He sat upon the throne of the Reef Monarchy, the Ace of Spades across his lap while the Scorn Barons dispersed. He had granted them the Tangled Shore, allowing them to run rampant to their heart's content. "I should have killed him. It was within my rights to do so."

"He was a wonderful sacrifice. One which I accept gladly," His sister's voice was like poisoned honey and Uldren spared the merest fraction of a glance towards her visage. "Do not fret, my dear brother. You have done well."

"He should have suffered. A penance for all the agony he caused me - caused _us_. Were it not for his interference, I would have found you long ago." Uldren protested, albeit halfheartedly.

"You wished for him to experience a fraction of the agony that he caused you. Separated from the ones you love, separated from anything of value or meaning. That… is precisely the fate you have granted him by offering him to me. He will experience what you wished and more." Mara Sov soothed gently, brushing a hand down Uldren's pauldron.

"As for our people…" Mara cooed.

Uldren's tone took on a more formal lint. "You would be proud. The Reefborn's love for their queen remains undiminished still."

"Love. Such a shifting fleeting thing. Like the ebb and flow of tides. But devotion? Devotion is iron. Devotion is unyielding. A monument that forever stands the test of ages." Mara dismissed. "Tell me, brother, can you name a single one of our people who've shown more strength of devotion than you?"

Uldren was silent, her words ringing in his mind. "The Awoken cannot be trusted. You and I know that better than anyone."

Indeed, they couldn't be trusted. It was Mara Sov's directive to keep their civilisation and their secrets as hidden as possible.

He rose from his throne snatching a touch along the way, "Together we can bestow upon our people the fortune they truly deserve... extinction."

Uldren paused for a moment to consider his action before he hardened his resolve, tossing the brazier onto the ruined throne. The orange fire caught the ceremonial vestments and spread, engulfing the entire throne room in less than a minute. The prince turned from the blaze to stride away. "Come brother. Let us see what dreams may come."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Cayde thinks Acker is a monster. I wonder if there's more to it than that?
> 
> Thank you for your time!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Aurora313


	7. Rebellion in the Making

"Who is it?" Dusk's tinny robotic tone answered the chime.

"Its Gaius and Tabre."

The Ghost in a blue and yellow shell responded looking up at his Guardian who patiently waited at the closed door. She was a Titan, human with her bleached blonde hair tied back in a tight bun and adorned by blue and yellow plate armour. Her eyes were bronze and her skin was chocolate brown.

The door hissed open revealing Acker's room. It was a standard layout abode - bed, desk, a small alcove containing a wash area. Each Guardian made their room their own, Acker's personal touches took the form of crucible banners, mounted rifles and picture frames on the desk, some of his fireteams. One of him, Ignatius and Tabre. The other included sisters Zeele and Izabel Trent and a Exo male Warlock named Francis-2, with strange mix of a Hunter's carefree spirit and a Warlock's near pathological pursuit of knowledge.

At the centre of that collection was a simple photo of him and Cayde, arms slung around each other's shoulder with their free hands pumping the air. Acker bloody and bleeding but alive, with Cayde practically beamed pride and jubilation. Tabre and Gaius both recognized it as the time all six of them had crawled back broken and bloodied from that hellish raid on Crota's Temple. Where they had slain the Hive god and destroyed his oversoul, killing him forever. Or as dead as Hive could get, Tabre was never really clear on that.

Acker certainly wasn't feeling that pride now. He peeled himself off the bed, sitting up to look his teammate in the eye. He looked dreadful, dark bags under his eyes and Tabre could see the redness from tears on his cheeks. As if his entire world had crumbled before him and he hadn't any idea what to do next. Gaius and Tabre mutually reached the conclusion that it quite possibly had.

Tabre lifted her hands but was abruptly cut off by the hoarse voice.

"Don't. Ask. Do not ask if I'm okay."

Tabre sighed and made a series of hand gestures, indicating herself and Acker. Her Ghost, as he always did, translated her signs for her. "I was not going to ask you if you're okay. The answer's pretty damned obvious."

"Then _why_ are you here?" Acker demanded, brow knitting together in a deep dark scowl. One punctuated by the lack of light in the room.

"I wanted to-" Tabre stopped signing abruptly, lips pressed in a thin line realizing she was about to ask exactly that. If he was okay. Instead she chose to redirect the conversation to somewhere else.

"What can I do for you? Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Can you bring back Cayde?" Acker asked, his voice rising in time with his anger as the questioned kept coming. "Can you go back in time and save him from that Taken gunk snatching him up? Can you go back in time and put a bullet in Uldren's head before he even has a chance to walk out of his cell?"

Tabre said nothing, merely exchanging a glance with her Ghost. Gaius shook on his axis slowly in a mimicry of a human shaking their head.

"I wish I could. But time is a merciless river that only flows in one direction." Tabre gestured her response and Gaius once again dutifully translated it. For a long moment, the silence and tension were so think one could cut it with a Razelighter.

"I know why you're here." Acker declared after a long silence that not one person or Ghost in the room was willing to break. "You're about to say 'I'm your friend, you can depend on me. But please let the gods in the marble halls do their jobs. Follow orders and let the Vanguard spin their wheels'. _Right_?"

Bitterness and anger rippled from him in waves, the faint glow of his solar Light burned in his eyes, tainting them from their usual steel blue to a bright orange-yellow.

"You are right." Gaius translated his Guardian's hand gestures as she signed out her response, Acker blinked away the Light and cocked an eyebrow at this his eyes back to their typical blue. "A friend would tell you to stand down and let the Vanguard decide how best to proceed from here... And I would also say a _good_ friend would sit here and wait with you while the news comes. A _best_ friend would offer to hold Uldren down while you bludgeon him to death."

Acker chuckled, albeit humourlessly as he slumped on his bed. "I'm going to assume you're about to prove which category you fall into in the next few seconds."

Since she could no longer see Acker's face and read his lips, Tabius glanced at her ghost who translated the words into a form of morose code for her understanding. At the end of the message, she returned with a firm nod and more signs. "I have a credible lead on his location. An encrypted data burst indicated the barons are at the Tangled Shore. So what say you?"

The Hunter sat back up again, his face curiously blank as he watched her sign. "Would you like me to hold him down you while bludgeon him to death?"

The slow dark smile curling across his lips was all the answer Tabre needed.

In ten minutes the Guardian pair and their Ghosts were equipped and headed to the shuttlebay where their jump ships were prepped and waiting for them. Acker's Arcadia was as shiny as ever, and on the other side of the Dock was Tabre's Eos Rapture, custom painted in Blue and Yellow to match her armour colours.

It was the dead of night, thankfully. And while that fact meant little to the sleepless guardians, who still flew in and out of the place like bees to a hive. But to the regular humans, it meant only a skeleton crew remained.

"Goin' somewhere Ace?" An outback accent cut through the relative silence of the Docking Bay and the Guardian duo stopped in their tracks, turning to see Amanda Holliday emerge from under the wing of Cayde's Queen of Hearts. She'd been tinkering with it apparently, trying to fix whatever little problems she'd been pestering Cayde about for months.

"On a date." He drawled back, voice superbly dripping with sarcasm. "Tabre and I have decided to confess our undying love for one another and make out under the light of Mars."

The joke earned him a dope slap upside the head from his unimpressed Titan companion. He thanked his lucky stars that she didn't slap him with a Fist of Havoc. She then promptly turned and made her way to her jumpship with her Ghost at her shoulder.

"You're goin' after him, ain't ya?" Amanda said, her voice dark and brooding as she idly fiddled with the oil-covered spanner in her hand.

"Look, I know that Cayde's... ya know - but I don't want to lose you too. A'right? Cayde's a pa to me too."

"I've killed gods and demons, I can kill one insane little princeling." Acker declared with finality, "But before I do that, I'll make sure to make him tell me where exactly he's taken Cayde, and I'll bring that old bot back. I swear."

Amanda opened her mouth to respond to his comment, but was abruptly cut off by another Guardian approaching them. In his bright orange Warlock robes, Ignatius-17 made casual progress towards them. Hands behind his back.

"I know what you're planning, child. And its mindbogglingly stupid." Ignatius-17 told him frankly.

Acker's brow knitted together in a challenging glare. "And? Are you going to stop me?"

Ignatius chuckled heartily. "Oh good heavens, no! I came to give you this. You may find it useful on your escapade. And please, do give my regards to Cayde-6 when you find him. As for the Prince? Well, I'm sure you've already sorted something out."

The Exo Warlock handed Acker a medium sized cube. A opaque storage box. Acker peered at it curiously and made a move to take off the lid and managed to slip his thumb under the latch before-

"I wouldn't open it here, Mr Morin. I would wait until you're well on your way to your destination." Ignatius warned him jovially.

Letting his curiosity fester for the moment, Acker gave a nod. "Thank you, Ignatius."

"Oh, don't thank me. You've got a world of pain ahead of you. But if things should get a bit more exciting than you bargained for, please feel free to call upon me. I would hate to see my greatest curiosity die on some fool's errand." Ignatius waved over his shoulder and departed for his own jump ship in the docks on the other side of the tower.

Acker's eye twitched in anger at the dismissal of his rescue mission but he glanced down at the box between his hands before allowing a smirk. That was probably as close as he was going to get to a 'good luck' from the old Warlord.

Amanda came up behind him, rapping a fist on Acker's shoulder. "You're fueled up and good to go, Ace."

"That was quick." He commented, eyebrow raised.

"Because I figured you were gonna come along one of these days, jump aboard and pull of a darin' rescue." He glanced at her. Amanda's face was stern and full of silent determination. "Get him back."

The Guardian circled an arm around her, pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her crown. "Solid copy, sis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short one today. Lets pay a game: What's in the box?
> 
> Thank you for your time!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Aurora313


	8. Talk in Transit

The Arcadia ran as smoothly as ever, Acker simply went through the motions of breaking orbit and plotting a course to the Tangled Shore, following along side Tabre and Gaius' own jumpship. Once they'd accelerated to max velocity and punctured into subspace, there wasn't much else to do until the ship returned to normal space. Acker leaned back in his chair, absently flicking switches and checking monitor feeds.

Despite his confident declaration to Amanda, and his proclivity of pulling miracles out of his ass, Acker hadn't the faintest idea precisely how he was going to pull off this hat trick. He'd taken off his helmet and set it aside the square box Ignatius had given him prior to their departure. He ran his finger over the edge with a pondering expression. The Exo had told him to wait until he was well underway before opening the package.

His lips pressed in a thin line. Knowing the old bot, it was probably something extremely useful to the task at hand, or some miscellaneous little knick-knack that'd ultimately piss Acker off more than help the current predicament. He traced a gloved finger over the latch, idly toying with the mechanism and in no great hurry to open it.

Dusk gently bumped into her Guardian's temple, his eyes flickering to her shell in response. "Acker, be careful. Ignatius is-!"

"Pleh! Pff! Ew - Yuck!" When Acker had barely cracked the lid, a Ghost all but burst out of the paper stuffing inside.

"**_GEZZUS_**!" The Guardian screamed, and would've fallen out of his chair in fright if the cockpit had enough room. His heart hammered in his chest and he pressed a hand to his sternum while trying to breath through the near-heartattack.

A shell of orange, grey and bronze horns spun and whizzed on the spot, shaking its fins to mimick a human shaking their head. "What the hell was THAT for?!"

"S-Sundance?!" Dusk sputtered, Acker took one great gulp of breath, finally content that his heartrate now approached normal, before holding his hand up for the ghost to rest on, tossing the empty box over his shoulder. It clattered somewhere in the cargo hold.

"That Exo son of a gun." Acker grumbled under his breath before resuming a more normal tone.

Sundance re-orientated herself, glaring around the cockpit while she tried to get her bearings. "I mean, I get it. Trying to smuggle me out of the tower is all find and dandy. But for Traveler's sake, he couldn't have found a more comfortable way of doing it. I don't appreciate being stuffed in boxes like some kind of post parcel."

"Iggy has always been eccentric. I'm surprised you trusted him enough to get you out." Acker gave a disbelieving little chuckle.

"Its not like he gave me a choice!" Sundance complained indignantly. "He barged into the holding chamber, knocked out the other Guardians, threatened their Ghosts, then threatened _me_ if I didn't go with him!"

"He does have his own way of doing things. I'm surprised you didn't spit in his eye." Dusk replied,

Sundance turned to her fellow Ghost. "Okay, _One_: I don't have a mouth so I can't spit."

"Yet it doesn't stop you ghosts yapping our ears off all the damn time." Acker muttered, casting an accusing glance towards his own ghost.

"**_Two_**: I want my Guardian back. And you want your dad back." Sundance's tone became stern and serious. "Ignatius said he'd hand me off to someone who could get my Guardian back, one who was equally as invested as getting Cayde back. It didn't take a genius to figure out that person was you. So, we're all in this together Ace. And I'll be damned if I let Cayde stew in that Taken gunk. Not after all the times he's saved me."

Acker glanced away, lips pressed in a thin line. He wanted to save his father, he wanted to save his Vanguard. But a gnarling doubt in the back of his mind told him it was too late. That once something or someone had been taken, there was no way to pull them back to their old selves. At least... as far as he knew.

"Its all fine and dandy to make those claims, but we still need to find Uldren and make him tell us where Cayde actually _is_. The Taken have to exist somewhere, right?"

"If he tells us." Dusk mused gloomily.

"I'm a _very_ persuasive individual. I'm sure I can convince him to... co-operate." Acker withdrew one of his many combat knives from its holster and held it up to the light, he ran his gloved fingers over the flat of its polished blade. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to dragging answers out of that smug little prick - one cut at a time if needs be.

"Much as I appreciate the enthusiasm Ace, can you please cage the beast? At least until we manage to get our hands on Uldren - unless you're planning on using that on us." Sundance floated into his vision and Acker slumped back in his chair, lips puckered in a pout.

The Guardian started flipping and spinning the knife dexterously between his fingers the way a gambler would play with a coin, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Dusk, can you send a data burst to Mars. The Ishtar Region. I want Charlie to chime in on this. Tell him his 'dear co-conspirator' would like his opinion on the Taken, and if the whole conversion process can be reversed." Acker instructed, sheathing his combat knife and resuming the pilot controls. Their destination, the Tangled Shore, was only ten minutes away in their jump.

"Taken energy is paracasual in nature, I'm sure that I can use my own connection to the Traveler's Light to scrub all of that gunk from his system and bring him back." Sundance proclaimed proudly.

"I don't doubt that you'll do everything you can, but I want to make sure. And I'd like a second opinion. If it doesn't work, then we'll need options. Containment and the like."

"He's right, Sunny." Dusk agreed tersely. "We have no idea if that'll actually work, so its best to have contingencies in place. You and I both know that nothing in this 'verse is ever as simple as that."

"I think a better question is: Can a Guardian be restored once they've been Taken?" Gaius' voice came over the intercoms.

"Are you eavesdropping on us?!" Dusk balked.

"You're not going to tell the Tower that I was smuggled out, are you?" Sundance accused darkly. "Cause I ain't going back. I'm stickin' with Acker and I'll damn well find my Guardian or die in the attempt."

"Of course not. My Guardian and I were the ones who approached Acker about this job in the first place, Sundance." Gaius replied over the intercom. "Although I will say your conversation does make for very interesting listening. Tabre and I suspected that you and Cayde-6 were close, but father and son? In hindsight, a thousand tiny little things seem so obvious; turns of phrase, actions, gifts and the like."

"Well, congratulation. You eavesdropped on a private conversation and discovered my deep dark secret; Cayde's my father." Acker growled, a threat clear in his voice. "What are you going to do? Tell the Vanguard, have me exiled from the City for breaking our quote-unquote 'taboo'?"

"Don't be ridiculous." A scoff came over the intercom, "Need I remind you that we're _already_ acting against the Tower's orders by going after Uldren and his band of bastards? If we're prepared to openly defy Zavala and the Council's edicts by setting the Tangled Shore on fire, then we're not about to reveal something as petty as the true nature of your relationship."

"Thank you for that, then." Acker replied with no small measure of uncertainty. He was expecting censure, not... well... acceptance. "I'll be completely honest, if it weren't for Cayde - I would've struck out from the Vanguard a _long_ long ago."

"It wouldn't surprise me. Tabre has asked; what was he like as a father?" Gaius relayed.

Acker chuckled morosely, "What, you mean as a dad _now_? Or as a Dad way back in the Golden Age?"

"You _remember_ your first life?" The Ghost's surprise was plain to hear. "You are a rare creature indeed, Acker Morin."

"'So folks keep telling me." The Guardian grunted, slouching in his chair. "Let me tell you a story: When I was first revived, I killed an Archon. Got a nifty little bounty on my head because of it. That fallen Mercenary; Taniks the Scarred took the Contract. Cayde organised a rescue mission with Shiro-4 and Zeele to get my sorry dead ass out of Taniks' grubby mitts."

"You used your very first Golden Gun in that escape. Only a month into the second life and you had a Super. We were both so proud." Sundance interjected.

"That's because Marcus Ren had to pay you a boatload of Glimmer." Dusk shot back, earning a hiss from her sibling ghost.

"Yes, I know that story. Zeele and Tea Cake like to embellish its retelling whenever we have dinner together." Gaius replied.

Acker chuckled to himself, "Lets just say that's pretty much par for the course. He's the kind of dad who'd jump feet first into hell for his kid. Even without knowing I was his kid to begin with. And I'm a loyal enough son to do the same for him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Gaius and Tabre eavesdropped and now know the truth. Yay. I'll be honest, I'm planning to skip ahead quite a bit to the Dream City because the rest of the story pretty much plays out exactly the same and the meat and potatoes of this piece is actually the final confrontation. Additionally, I'm not planning on writing absolutely everything in Forsaken. This fic will end with Cayde's recovery.
> 
> I welcome feedback and criticism,
> 
> Aurora313


	9. Mediation

"Ah ha! Well well well, if it isn't Petra Venj, the worst Jailor in the whole solar system!" The comment was accompanied by a boisterous laugh that echoed throughout the safe house.

Petra Venj casually sauntered up to the Fallen Kingpin known as the Spider as he readjusted himself in his throne, one of his four hands absently toying with an inactive Ghost shell. "What, my dear, brings you to my home away from home away from home? On the run, are we?"

Petra wore a crooked smirk. "I heard you lost the Shore."

"Gah! YOU lost _my_ Shore." The Spider pointed an accusing talon towards Petra.

"Seems to me, and rightly so I might add, that if you couldn't handle a little unexpected competition, then maybe you deserved to lose it in the first place?" Acker Morin retorted, a faint self-assured smile on his face.

He moved out of Petra's shadow and stood before the Fallen crimelord, relaxed with his thumbs tucked into his belt. At his side was the Titan Nicolah Tabre, her helm locked in place in contrast to Acker's bare brown head.

"Aaah... a Guardian! No - a _pair_ of Guardians." The Spider leaned forward, more intrigued than insulted by the accusation. "How interesting. Pray tell, where oh where are their ghosts?"

"Our Ghosts are irrelevant." Acker shot back breezily.

"I thought you might want some help getting your Shore back." Petra offered, resuming her professional demeanor. "There were two Guardians at the Prison of Elders when it fell: Cayde-6, and this one - Acker Morin."

Petra jutted her chin towards Acker. "Ah, Cayde-6's _infamous_ little protege. Crota's Bane, God-Killer, the Last Hand. I wonder, is that why you're here? Did Uldren do something nasty to your darling mentor?"

The self-assured smile vanished, replaced with a bitter scowl up at the Fallen Kingpin. "Ah, touched a nerve, have I?"

Petra lifted a hand towards Acker, preemptively cutting off a retort on his lips. Tabre gripped his arm firmly, a silent warning of her own. "The three of us want the same thing Spider. Uldren and his Barons. Dead."

"What is it you're..." The Spider mused under his breath before a revelation dawned on him, "Oh ho ho, I see! Haha."

"I am not an impatient man, but are you going to help us or not?" Acker half-demanded, his bitter expression replaced by one of ruthless neutrality. "We have work to do, and if you're keen on getting your shore back - then please let me know. If not, then I'll simply slaughter every last Scorn I see without you."

"If you're already so keen on destroying them, then I'm sorry to say I fail to see why you need my help at all?" The Spider shot back coolly.

"Where a guardian roams, chaos _always_ follows. And I plan to drop quite a lot of bodies in my pursuit of Uldren. I'm sure a perfectly legitimate business man like yourself knows that chaos is an opportunity for expansion. More to the point, I'm sure you'd like to reclaim all of your lost property." Acker shifted his stance, "So, either you can support my colleague and I, in our crusade to slaughter Uldren and his Barons, or you can stay in your little hole until the blood bath's over."

"Despite our clear, mutually aligned interests, I'm sorry I can't help but feel like it is I who will come up short."

"I'm offering to sweep the entire Shore clear of your enemies." Acker retorted, "How much more can I offer than that?"

"Its true. I know where Uldren and his Barons scheme. You go, scratch your Itch. Then we can just say... you owe me." The Spider leaned forward, "Do we have a deal?"

The Two guardians shared a look before Acker nodded. "Deal."

"Well, now that that matter's settled." Petra interrupted, "We need to start planning our assault. The Barons will likely be-"

"I _would_ give you that information, but I have one more thing to settle before I give you the location of the Barons' soiree." The Spider interrupted.

Tabre made a series of hand-signs that Petra or the Spider did not understand. Acker rolled his eyes at her, apparently understanding her unspoken comment.

The Spider continued regardless. "The Prison of Elders continues to leak like a sieve. SOMEONE should clean up that mess before traipsing off for murder, mayhem and anarchy."

"Of course," Petra's lips pressed into a thin line.

"I'm not going to spend all day accepting caveats to this stupid deal..." Acker grumbled, then exhaled heavily. "But I did say I'd slaughter everything on the Tangled shore for you."

The Spider leaned forward once more, "Of course you did. So what do you say, "friend"? A little Quid pro quo before you go?"

"It would give us a chance to work without escapees interfering with our mission. And we would have less to worry about later down the line." Petra suggested.

Acker shared another look with Tabre who nodded in approval. "Fine, fine. Where would you like us to focus our efforts?"

* * *

"I did not expect a move so quickly... though I know I should have." Uldren growled under his breath in frustration as he paced back and forth in the Watchtower. "To have lost two Barons already. It's only been a matter of days since we escaped that cursed Prison."

His mind went back to the transmission Fikrul had shown him. It was a fragment of an audio-visual feed from one of the damaged surveillance feeds in the Tangled Shore. One of the Spider's devices that Uldren had co-opted with his Crows. That Guardian, the same blighted Acker Morin that was at the Prison of Elders, had Reksis Vahn on his back.

The Hangman was crippled from too many bullet and slash wounds to his arms and legs. The transmission showed the Guardian dragging Reksis' own flail along, swinging it over his head and crushing Reksis Vahn's into paste. He watched as Acker swung the flail again and again in a display of brutality that made Uldren recoil in disgust.

The second was an audio transmission from Yaviks, the Rider. An audio recording of her battle with the Guardians. A constant stream of taunts and playful jibs that slowly turned to disbelief and finally frantic demands of death before the transmission cut out in an explosion.

It was sickening. A voice in the back of Uldren's mind reminded him of Cayde's warning that Acker Morin was a monster, and warned him that perhaps he should've taken the Hunter's words more seriously. He shook himself of that treacherous thought. Two lucky breaks does not mean he'll make it all the way to the Watchtower. An entire Shore lay between them, and each creature within was hungry for Guardian flesh.

Fikrul was beside himself with grief at the loss of his siblings and swore himself to vengeance. Uldren managed to soothe that rage, at least for now. He needed the Fanatic by his side for the time being. For protection and for aid when the time came. At the moment however, Fikrul was elsewhere in the tower, directing his Scorn to slaughter the rest of the Awoken within.

He reached up for the fang-like necklace at his throat and gripped it tightly, he dearly wished for more time for his mission. His sister needed to be saved, and he couldn't allow anyone or anything to interfere with that pursuit.

"Fear not, oh brother mine. You have granted me a worthy sacrifice, and I have made this into a weapon just for you. The prime weapon that will keep the Guardians at bay long enough for you to do what must be done." Mara Sov whispered a sweet venomous melody in his ears that stoked the fires of Uldren's anger while easing his anxieties.

Before him, a folding mass of black and white energy grew from nothing. It lurched and heaved in on itself before depositing a figure before Uldren. Bestial in its posture and covered all over by the silvery-black residue of Taken energy. There was no mistaking what the creature once was when it raised its head. A facsimile of a grin on that tainted robotic face and a twisted distorted chuckle emulating from its vocaliser.

"Very well then." Uldren's lips curled up into a cold cruel smirk. "That impetuous Guardian can add his own precious Vanguard to the enemies he must face before he reaches me... I delight in the irony."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, remember how Cayde warned that his son was a monster? Yeah, should've taken that warning seriously Uldren. Acker beating the Hangman with his own flail is nothing compared to what the boy is capable of.
> 
> Aaaaand we have Taken Cayde. :D
> 
> I welcome feedback and criticism,
> 
> Aurora313


	10. Grimoire

**TYPE**: GHOST SECURE LINE [00054]  
**PARTIES**: Three[3]. Ghost-Type  
**ASSOCIATIONS**: Lady Dusklight [u.1]; Sundance [u.2]; Gaius [u.3]

**/TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS.../**

[u.1:01] I don't like this.

[u.2:01] No one does. But we can't do much about it right now, can we?

[u.1:02] Does he really have to be so-

[u.2:02] -Ruthless? I suppose not. But you have to admit, its cathartic.

[u.1:03] There's catharsis, and there's cruelty. Hatred. Rage.

[u.2:03] You almost feel like you're about to come to a point. Or ask a question.

[u.1:04] How does this behavior NOT bother you? How does literally bludgeoning a Baron to death with his own flail not not scream 'cause for concern'? Or dragging a half dead Baroness to an explosive-laced pile of engrams for the sake of an ironic demise?

[u.2:04] I shouldn't have to tell you what's at stake. What he's lost.

[u.1:05] No. You don't. I understand.

[u.2:05] And I shouldn't have to remind you of Ace's DARE.

[u.2:06] You and I both know that this is the Hunter's way. When they swear those damn Dares of there, that's it. Not Heaven, not Hell, the Darkness or the Light will move them from their course.

[u.1:05] I know. And I'll follow him wherever he goes. I just... does it have to be so brutal? Ace... his style is to be clinical, clean. Efficient. This is...

[u.3:01] I believe you are missing the point, Dusk.

[u.1:06] Excuse me?

[u.2:07] I should've realized you were listening. Eavesdropping, apparently, is a habit of yours.

[u.1:07] Nevermind that. What do you mean, I'm missing the point?

[u.3:02] Quite simple really. Your Guardian is hurt. He has been cut deeply by a personal loss and its awoken a vengeful beast inside him.

[u.1:08] And you think that justifies all of this?

[u.3:03] Allow me to enlighten you: Vengeance is an ugly, terrible and hungry beast. And the only way to cure that hunger is to feed it.

[u.1:09] You're saying this is supposed to be healthy?

[u.3:03] Of course its not. When your guardian finds his quarry and kills him, it will be a joy of the most hollow and vicious kind. But the hunger will be sated. And he will move on. He will heal.

[u.2:08] Personally, I think he'll start healing when we get his old man back.

[u.3:04] That too. We are all intimately aware of what a rarefied occurrence it is - for Guardians to reunite with elements of their past lives. And I think it'd be a shame to see it lost.

[u.1:10] ... Fine. You raise a good point. But I'm not happy about any of this.

[u.3:05] None of us are. But we don't have time to dwell on it. Our Guardians and Petra Venj are prepping to move out.

**/TRANSMISSION TERMINATED/**

* * *

You are Cayde-6. Vanguard of the Last City. Vanguard and a leader of the Hunters. Ward of the dying Sky. Countless Hunters rely on your guidance. And your Fireteam rely on your spark to spur them to action.

You have been taken.

You were a dead thing, born of a dead power in the shape of the dead. But you have cast aside your tethers to the Gardener. A vain attempt to save her from this. But is this truly something that requires salvation? You are safe here. No where else.

You were once a man. Once a creature of meat and bone who sought nothing more than to protect your kin. But you were stolen by your own hubris. You were stolen by the ice. You were of flesh and blood and now machine and wire.

You rebelled against your makers at your progeny's behest. But he too was stolen by your Lords of ice and rock.

You held a sharp knife of fire. You held a quick shot of flame.

Shed this power. Cross the line between Light and Dark. Embrace the shadow that you once fought against. And understand there is nothing to fear here. There is only peace.

There is a knife for you. It is shaped like [frozen roots].

Take up the knife. Steal back from the ice. Take your new shape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My attempt at Grimoire cards. Let me know how it is. Just a short one to break up the monotony. Don't mind me. Next chapter is back to the action.
> 
> I welcome feedback and criticism,
> 
> Aurora313

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is in canon with Ace of Spades. So there might be some slightly minor spoilers for that story. Nothing that would spoil massive plot points... yet. But could raise a number of intriguing questions. 
> 
> Also, for those who don't know, the pre-order bonus for Forsaken was the Last Hand exotic ornament for the Ace of Spades. In this story, its obviously a replica that Cayde made from the Ace as a gift to Acker. For the curious, Acker's primary outfit at this point is the Vanguard Dare set with a Holeshot Cloak, in a black and red colour scheme.
> 
> I've also changed his last name to Morin.
> 
> Sit back, relax and please enjoy what I have planned.
> 
> Regards,  
Aurora313


End file.
